LAUSR

Heliothrips haemorrhoidalis (Bouché) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) has been reported on several crops. The development time, viability of immature stages, and reproductive parameters of H. haemorrhoidalis in ‘Camino Real’ strawberry leaflets were investigated under controlled conditions (25 ± 2 °C, 70 ± 10% relative humidity, and 14 h photoperiod). Life cycle was completed with 28.39 ± 0.15 days. The duration (mean ± standard error) and the viability (%) of the 1st larval instar, 2nd larval instar, pre-pupa, and pupa stages were 4.03 ± 0.04 (97.00%), 5.01 ± 0.03 (98.97%), 1.04 ± 0.02 (98.96%), and 2.98 ± 0.02 (100.00%) days, respectively. The pre-oviposition, oviposition, and post-oviposition periods lasted 5.00 ± 0.05, 66.19 ± 0.28, and 4.85 ± 0.10 days, respectively. The fertility parameters in the life table were as follows: net reproduction rate (R 0 ) = 105.06 larvae; innate capacity for increase in number (r m ) = 0.09 larva/female/day; finite increase ratio (λ) = 1.09 larva/female; time interval between each generation (T) = 53.02 days; population doubling time (TD) = 7.89 days. These results evidence that H. haemorrhoidalis develops successfully when feeding on strawberry leaflets. The relatively high viability observed at every stage, and the values of R 0 , r m , λ, T, and TD populations suggest that H. haemorrhoidalis may thrive on strawberry plants under favorable environmental conditions. The implications of these findings are discussed.